1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus used for recording an image by discharging ink from a recording head, and a recording position adjustment method of the recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
When printing is performed using an ink jet recording apparatus, in some cases, positions (recording position) of dots recorded by a plurality of nozzle arrays of a recording head may relatively shift due to, for example, manufacturing error of the recording head. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-329381 discusses a recording method for correcting a relative shift in the recording positions of a plurality of nozzle arrays by recording a test pattern on a recording medium.
Regarding a serial type inkjet recording apparatus, a recording medium is conveyed in a direction different from a scanning direction of a recording head when an image is recorded. If a range of the nozzle arrays, which allows recording in a single scanning, is extended in the nozzle array direction, it will help realize high-speed recording. Conventionally, a connected head is used in the ink jet recording apparatus. The connected head includes a plurality of chips including a nozzle array. The chips partially overlap one another in the nozzle array direction (conveying direction).
Regarding the connected head, in some cases, due to an assembly error of a chip to the recording head, a relative shift in the recording positions by the nozzle arrays may occur in the conveying direction. Thus, in order to improve image quality of an image recorded by a recording apparatus including a connected head, the relative shift in the recording positions by a plurality of nozzle arrays in the conveying direction is to be corrected.
In correcting the relative shift in the recording positions by a plurality of nozzle arrays in the conveying direction, a test pattern recorded on a recording medium can be used. By using the test pattern, the shift amount can be detected.
As a recording method of such a test pattern, after recording a plurality of patterns by some of the nozzle arrays on the upstream side of the conveying direction on a recording medium, the recording medium is conveyed to the downstream. Then, recording is performed over the plurality of patterns by some of the nozzle arrays on the downstream side. In this way, the test patterns are completed.
However, according to such a recording method for recording test patterns, conveying the recording medium is to be performed. Thus, the conveyance error that may occur when the recording medium is conveyed affects the recording position of a dot of the test pattern. Thus, the relative shift of the recording position cannot be accurately corrected.